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Twenty years after “A Million Ways,” the mechanics of cultural connection have transformed again thanks to social media and TikTok, where what you encounter as you scroll is guided by the invisible hand of data analysis.

But Smith’s best-known works and ideas — the 1776 book "The Wealth of Nations," his invisible hand theory — have been misappropriated over the years, twisted into support for capitalism as some sort of morally good, biologically determined atom-smashing that takes place anytime two or more humans exchange goods or services.

We sometimes talk about these things as if there's an invisible hand that dictates our politics, right?

In those markets, as famously illustrated by Adam Smith’s “invisible hand,” thoughtful buyers and sellers create efficient outcomes as a result of their pursuit of personal profit.

He is seen as this neoliberal, laissez-faire, "invisible hand" theorist, but that’s a caricature of the real Adam Smith.